Why Snape Can't Be Evil

[ccampboyle]

No: HPFGUIDX 134029

I have to say, Spinner's End left me convinced Snape was a good guy,
mainly because it was just too early in the book and too obvious a way
of saying "look, Snape's bad." I was stunned by the Avada Kedavra, and
then by Snape's ongoing cruelty to Harry, and almost came around to
the ESE view. However, two things keep me from believing in ESE Snape.

First, as we all know, Harry is a lousy Occlumens. If Snape has some
crucial role to play in a final showdown in which Harry and Snape are
both present, Harry can't be thinking Snape will help or LV will suss
it out. And I think Snape does have some role to play, since it is
quite clear Harry still does not have the skills to play ball with LV.
Skills can't be why Harry is the one to defeat LV; if skill were all
that's necessary, I would think DD would have filled the bill nicely.
But if Harry thinks Snape is bad to the bone, and exuding anger
towards him, that ought to fool LV nicely.

Secondly, aside from the literary reasons DD had to die (the mentor
has to die in the hero's journey before the hero separates and
matures), I strongly suspect DD had some magical reason for dying. His
death may have cemented some spell or magic just as Lily's did.
(Shades of Obi-Wan Kenobi: "Strike me down and I will become more
powerful than you can possibly imagine.)I think the phoenix shape
arising at DD's funeral has some relationship to this. If DD knew he
had to die anyway, having Snape kill him would give Snape that perfect
 cover with LV I already mentioned he needed before the final showdown.

As for why DD trusted Snape, I'm inclined to go along with the idea
Snape was devestated by Lily's death (notice Lupin says Snape hated
James, he doesn't say James and Lily.) This doesn't mean Snape is a
nice guy; I'm sure he did hate James, and I'm sure Harry, who looks
just like James, but with Lily's eyes, is a constant reminder that his
 enemy got the girl. 

And I agree with those who cite Snape's mere blocking of Harry's
spells, combined with his comments about using non-verbal spells and
his anger at being called a coward, as evidence of an extraordinary
amount of restraint for one ESE.

Cathy